"mauve... you find "homo" abusive? It's a word and it's short for homosexual, just like gay has been given a new and false meaning. It's a word. Lighten up."

Nothing to lighten up about. I detest the word homo being used perjoratively and as an insult/attack. The word to me is like the word Paki... short for Pakistani. It is offensive when used nastily and there is no excuse in using it to define a fellow human being in that way. I have never seen it used in a nice way by a non gay person. It tends to be hurled about and used almost aggresively. THAT is what offends me, sorry.

If gay people like to call themselves homos then that is their perogative I think.

The default setting when chatting about humans is straight and I see no reason why that should always be assumed. If I found gay people using a similar word to insult straight people I would also find that offensive.

I have to disagree that it's not "just a word" when it has the connotaions that have been given it in the past.

But that is just my opinion I guess and you are certainly entitled to yours. I have no need to lighten up. My comments were not meant to be inflamatory or 'heavy' ;-)

mp